Big in Japan. You know, it is that age-old joke with musicians: "Oh, you know, we’re big in Japan." Cheap Trick or any number of 70s/80s bands that weren’t anything special in America, but had these Beatlemania like followings in Japan. There is a sort of Spinal Tap’esque humor going on, but a bit more hipster and indie.
This is exactly the type of film you want to see at a film festival. This is a Seattle-based filmmaker. I wouldn’t say that I busted a gut laughing ever, but I smiled the whole way through, and actually I think that is a good mark of a comedy. Not really a punchline, but just consistently enjoyable and fun.
And, the music is really good. It is a real band playing a fake band in the movie.
Phil Busse of The Source Weekly reviews the film "Big in Japan" from myWindow on Vimeo.
